Skin tags, formally known as acrochordons, are small pieces of flesh that protrude from your skin. They’re attached through a stem or stalk. Skin tags are most commonly found in folds of skin around your neck, armpits, and groin area, and usually appear in people of middle age. While these growths aren’t painful, daily movement can produce friction, which may irritate them.

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Skin tags are small, usually measured in millimeters, but can grow to a half-inch in length. A skin tag may start to develop without you’re even noticing. Once formed, they typically don’t get any bigger. They can show up virtually anywhere on the body, but are most often on the eyelids, the neck, the groin area, and in the armpits — basically on areas of the body with folds. You may have just one or two or many, and they might be in isolated spots or in a group with many skin tags.
Skin tags themselves have a core of fibers and ducts, nerve cells, fat cells and a layer of skin surrounding it. They may have a stalk and generally look like a small piece of hanging skin. Skin tags may have a smooth surface or an irregular surface. They are often raised and either slightly brown or flesh colored. They generally start quite small and flat, like the bump on a pinhead. Sizes vary, and they can grow up to 5 cm in size. (2)
I'm giving five stars for customer service as its too soon for a real review and I don't want to hurt the company. So far, it appears as if the dark mole on the side of my cheek is shrinking in diameter but protruded more than before. That's embarrassing but this was the method I chose over laser so I will wait it out. I don't wish to give a bad review as I haven't used it but three weeks and as a woman, it's not practical for me to wear during the day due to makeup. So I use twice a day. Still, I had hoped for better but time will tell. I just want it to not "stick out" so much. I wasn't expecting that outcome. But that shows me it's doing something anyway. :-) * - Carol

The cost to remove a mole is variable depending on the body location and nature of the mole. Some moles are best treated by excision with stitching. Flat moles that are not raised off the skin surface are a good example of this since trying to shave the mole could involve getting too deep into the skin and leave a "divot" or ice-pick type scar without suturing the area closed. Moles that are more raised off the skin can usually be shaved off but may also benefit from suturing to refine the scar/blemish that forms especially if on the face or other highly exposed areas. The cost will range from $200 - $350 depending on the technique used. One thing to always keep in mind is that a genuine mole should never be simply ablated, such as with laser, liquid nitrogen or radio-frequency without a biopsy being done first to ensure the mole is safe. Otherwise, an ablation type treatment may simply mask the remnants of the mole that is destined to form a melanoma.

Except for the cosmetic appearance, skin tags generally cause no physical pain or discomfort. These tiny skin growths generally cause symptoms when they are repeatedly irritated (for example, by the collar or in the groin). Cosmetic reasons are the most common reason for skin tag removal. The following symptoms and signs may necessitate skin tag removal:
These benign growths often appear on the folds of the skin where moisture and friction are common. This includes under arms and in the armpit region, on the neck, under the breast, near the genitals, on eyelids, or on the torso. While they can be irritated by clothing or jewelry, they typically are painless. Rarely, if a skin tag is twisted, a small blood clot can develop, which may make it tender or painful.
The cost of mole removal varies for several reasons. If the mole is of concern due to changes in colour, texture, diameter or the border (edges), this may be covered by Provincial Healthcare (in Canada). If this is the case, speak to your Family Doctor to see if he or she is concerned at all and wants you to see a Dermatologist for assessment. They will refer you and the treatment may be covered. If it strictly for cosmetic purposes that you want it removed, the cost varies based on location of the mole, if it's raised or flat, skin tag or actual mole. Just to give you an idea, it may be anywhere from $200 - $500. This will also vary based on your geographical area. The technique used to remove it may be cautery, shave or excision. Good luck and I hope this answer helps.

Some other studies have suggested that skin tags may be associated with thyroid problems. An article published in December 2016 in the Journal of Evolutionary Medicine found that about 11 percent of people with thyroid issues had achrocordons, or skin tags. These patients tended to have a higher number of thyroid nodules and thyroid volume. This, they hypothesize, is because “skin tags and thyroid changes may be associated with high levels of circulating insulin.”

The cause of acrochordons is unknown, however there are several theories. Irritation or friction to the skin, as occurs with skin rubbing on skin in body folds, may play a role in their formation. Acrochordons are found more commonly in people who are overweight or have diabetes. This may be due to body habitus (more skin folds), but some people think insulin resistance may somehow contribute to the development of these harmless tumors. A study of 49 patients with acrochordons showed that the human papilloma virus (HPV) was present in a high percentage of growths, suggesting the virus plays a role in development. It is also possible that acrochordons are genetic or simply due to normal aging and loss of elastic tissue. There is a genetic disorder called Birt-Hogg-Dube Syndrome that is characterized by numerous skin tags along with other skin and systemic findings.

The vast majority of skin tags are benign tumours but one study of 1,335 lesions found that four were basal cell carcinomas and one was a squamous cell carcinoma. Nevertheless, the authors suggest that the malignancy potential of skin tags is low. Patients experience few, if any, problems with skin tags although pruritus and discomfort can occur if the lesions are snagged by jewellery.
The location and size of a mole may cause cosmetic concerns, as well as physical irritation. For instance, if a mole exists on a certain part of the neck, it may become caught in a necklace, causing discomfort and sometimes bleeding. We think these are good reasons to seek cosmetic mole removal, and we are happy to help you feel more comfortable and more satisfied with your appearance. More than just removing moles for cosmetic reasons, our team ensures that we evaluate all moles before removal to rule out abnormalities that may indicate skin cancer.
There are a few methods that can be used in removing a mole. Factors such as depth, size and location will help determine the most effective removal method. Moles that are flush to the skin may be able to be removed using a simple shaving technique or a laser treatment. For deep-seated moles, excision is the only way to remove it safely and effectively. During this process, the doctor will cut away the mole along with a small border of skin that surrounds it. Sutures are placed deep within the excision so that a clean, thin scar will be all that remains.
Someone should have told me all this and urged me to get my blood sugar checked immediately. A standard physical a few years later (I wasn’t doing them regularly like I should have been; I was young and stupid) in fact revealed that my fasting blood sugar levels were high. The skin tags could have been a clue. A study published in March 2017 in the journal Dermatology Review found that nearly 42 percent of patients with skin tags fulfilled the criteria for metabolic disease. About 37 percent of the participants had abnormally high glucose tolerance tests.